The Rise and Fall of Anarchy in America: From its Incipient Stage to the First Bomb Thrown in ChicagoMcLean, George N.
History
The Rise and Fall of Anarchy in America: From its Incipient Stage to the First Bomb Thrown in Chicago
McLean, George N.
Anarchists -- United States; Haymarket Square Riot, Chicago, Ill., 1886
"When was the next meeting?"--"April 1, at Greif's hall. Spies, Fielden
and Parsons were present at the meeting. Spies made a lengthy speech on
this occasion. His speech was in regard to acts of cruelty committed
by the police in Chicago; he spoke of the number of arrests made, and
the number of convictions in proportion. He also referred to the case
of the girl who preferred a charge of assault against police-sergeant
Patton, of the West Chicago avenue station."
"Who else spoke there?"--"Fielden. Spies had said before that he had
advised the girl to get a pistol and go and shoot the policeman.
Fielden stood up and said; 'That is what she ought to do.'"
"What was the next meeting?"--"April 8, 1885, at Greif's hall. Parsons
made a lengthy speech. He referred frequently in his address to the
strike at the McCormick harvester works. He said: 'There is but one of
two things for the men to do. They must either go to work for the wages
offered them or else starve.' In concluding his remarks he referred
to the strike at La Salle, Illinois. He said: 'To-morrow morning or
the next day the authorities here in the city will probably send a
trainload of policemen or militia to La Salle to shoot down the working
people there. Now, there is a way to prevent this. All you have to do
is to get some soap and place it on the rails and the train will be
unable to move.' Parsons spoke at great length of the crimes, as he
termed them, of the capitalists, and he said to those present that it
was an absolute necessity for them to unite against them, as that was
the only way they could fight the capitalists."
"Who else spoke there?"--"Fielden. He said it was a blessing something
had been discovered wherewith the working men could fight the police
and militia with their Gatling guns."
"What was the next meeting you had?"--"April 19. That meeting was held
at No. 106 Randolph street, because the hall at No. 54 Lake street was
engaged. At this meeting Parsons offered a resolution of sympathy for
Louis Riel and the half-breeds in the Northwest who were in rebellion
against the Canadian government. Neither Parsons nor Fielden spoke at
the meeting."
"What was the next meeting?"--"April 22, at Greif's hall. Referring to
the opening of the new Board of Trade building, Parsons said: 'What a
splendid opportunity there will be next Tuesday night for some bold
fellow to make the capitalists tremble by blowing up the building
and all the thieves and robbers that are there.' At the conclusion
of his speech he said that the working men of Chicago should form in
processions on Market square Tuesday evening next, and he invited all
those present to get as many of their friends as they could to join in
the procession."
"Did any other of the defendants speak there?"--"Fielden said: 'I also
wish to invite as many of you as can come and as many as you can get.
Go around to the lodging-houses and get all you can to join in the
procession--the more the merrier.'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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